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Ripples/Chapter Three
Chapter Three: [[User:RedPandaPotter|'Red']] Hollystrike yawned. The sun had already sunk in the sky, but its last dying rays lit the sky with a warm glow. Little bugs with lit-up ends drifted around in the light breeze. The entire island-camp was quiet, the only noise the low hum of conversations carried out in the dimness. Nothing much had been happening lately; training had perhaps decreased in rigor, and hunting had become the main focus for the cats, owing to the frustratingly lacking fresh-kill pile. Hollystrike had taken a particular fancy to hunting lately on account of the dwindling amount of prey, so the fresh-kill pile had been frequented with the small fish - the perfect size for a queen and her kits - she'd recently caught. Lacking anything else to do, Hollystrike called out a friendly farewell to her brother, Pebblestep, and padded from the camp, wincing as the tang of water from the river hit her nostrils. She'd never been fond of water - assuming it ran in the family, as her brother Pebblestep was positively skittish around the stuff - but wasn't too perturbed by it when it came to hunting. She just didn't like the feel of it weighing her down was all, clumping her fur and leaving it a soggy mess when she finally climbed out. Swimming was just completely pointless. "...unlike badgers on ThunderClan territory, the Others have got six legs - that's two more than we've got. These extra appendage stick out of their middle (these are called mid-legs), and instead of having toes like we do, they have birdlike claws that can pick things up just as Twolegs can do. Two toes in front and one in back, these ones are for grabbing things." The older warrior's voice drifted through the reeds, and Hollystrike peered over the tall, swaying fronds to see Sandcloud lecturing a group of apprentices on the anatomy of the others. "Like cats," called one of the apprentices, snickering to his friends. Hollystrike paused for long enough to see Sandcloud frown and continue. "They have two tails as well. You all know that they're a big problem, but if we don't bother them then they won't bother--Hollystrike? Is that you?" Hollystrike winced at the sharp snap of the senior warriors voice, but called a reply and trotted over to the small clearing, sitting beside Sandcloud as she continued to give the apprentices their lesson. "Hollystrike has a bit of experience with the Others. Anything you'd like to say?" To Hollystrike's annoyance, these anatomy lessons about the Others had all become a bit more frequent than any cat would have liked. The apprentices had grown a bit scared but the kits didn't know the real threat of them yet. The senior warriors occasionally threw fits - something Hollystrike found bothersome, and though she did her best to be sympathetic throughout the trying times of other cats, she just didn't feel the need to worry about them - but it wasn't something that necessitated as constant of panicking as the older warriors, mentors, deputy and leader made it out to be. A frown creasing her forehead, Hollystrike said, "The Others are dangerous. That's the first thing you all need to understand. We don't know of what motives they have, or what grudge they hold against us, but they wield massive power and they're not afraid to use it." A few gasps rose from the throng, and Hollystrike winced. She was just inspiring more terror, this wasn't at all what she meant. "The point is," she plowed on, "this panic, this terror we're all creating over them isn't necessary. They're a force to be reckoned with but as long as we don't go picking fights and ''looking ''for these things, we should be safe for the time being. They're sporadic and unpredictable, but it's a waste of our time and our lives to be spending forever lurking in the shadows, too afraid of coming out. We were here first, weren't we? I'm not trying to be noble or anything--" here she felt her face flush as a few of the apprentices gazed adoringly at her "--but it's just...stupid. Not the Others, or the threat they pose, just the hullabaloo we're raising over their appearances and whatnot. We've seen what they can do. We need to just...get over it. It's something we have to adapt to." The silence ensuing made Hollystrike feel a bit hot and bothered, but then Sandcloud gave her a pat on the back with her tail. "Well-said," the older warrior praised. Hollystrike padded of, still a bit annoyed and altogether displeased with her speech. Most of the prey had gone to bed and the night had grown darker as she sat speaking with the apprentices, so the RiverClan warrior padded dejectedly back to camp, her green eyes slightly cross. The water from the river splashed uncomfortably around her paws, so Hollystrike quickened her pace until she was trotting into camp at nearly full-tilt. "Icetail," Hollystrike called in a low hiss; a couple of her Clanmates - Hollystrike's brother included - were cloistered off to the side around the body of the late warrior Marshberry. The young she-cat, one of Pebblestep's best friends, had fallen prey to an Other earlier and lost her life. She had always been polite to Hollystrike. While they may not have been the best of friends, Marshberry had been able to see through Hollystrike's cool exterior and the two maintained a rather friendly relationship up until her unfortunate passing. "Yeah?" the white warrior trotted up to Hollystrike, eliciting a smile from the tortoiseshell. "Sandcloud forced me to give one of the speeches to the apprentices," Hollystrike mumbled glumly as she plucked a pike from the fresh-kill pile. "Not that I minded really, I was just bothered by their wide-eyed expressions. This entire panic, it's just...so...useless, you know?" Icetail shrugged. "Can't believe you're not scared of them, but I guess I see your point. Catch anything particularly tasty lately?" Relieved at the change of the subject, Hollystrike and Icetail continued to joke lightheartedly until the moon had risen halfway to its highest point. A couple of cats had retired early to their nests, while still others were sitting at the edge of the island, engaged in their fishing. The slightest movement elicted a flashing paw from the hunters, something both Hollystrike and Icetail found amusing to watch. All too often, however, the fishers came up empty-pawed, much to the frustration of the individuals and the stomachs of the entire Clan. They continued to chat until the moon had risen even higher, at which point Icetail's eyes began to droop and she gave a half-hearted salute and padded into the warriors' den, tripping over her paws. Hollystrike spied her moping brother ambling sadly towards her, so it was with a sigh - and an intense desire to escape his impending sob story - that she followed her best friend into the warriors' den and curled up, wrapping her tail around her nose and leaving just enough space for her eyes to see out into the heart of camp. As more cats began to filter into the den, Hollystrike felt herself lulled to sleep by the thrumming of pawsteps. It was soon enough that drowsiness overtook her and she drifted off to sleep, the lapping of the waves rooting frustration in her heart as her dreams took hold of her head.